Harrisburg, PA – A federal civil rights probe has discovered that a Pennsylvania state prison kept seriously mentally ill inmates in solitary confinement for months, even years, at a time.

According to the findings of the US Justice Department investigation, the State Correctional Institution at Cresson off US Route 22 – an all-male medium-security facility – violated the constitutional rights of inmates with mental illness and intellectual disabilities, under the terms of the Constitution and Americans with Disabilities Act.

The Cresson prison, which was built in 1913, houses about 1,500 inmates.

Prisoners suffering with extreme mental illness were often retained inside their cells nearly 24 hours a day – left to languish, decompensate, and harm themselves – reflecting the serious deficiencies in its mental health program. The review also revealed a denial of basic needs and use of excessive force.

On January 8, 2013 the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections officials announced the prison would be closing in June. However, the Justice Department is concerned the misuse of solitary confinement could extend to prisons statewide. Therefore, the department is expanding its investigation to include all state prisons.

Solitary confinement is a special form of imprisonment in which a prisoner is isolated from human contact, with the exception of members of prison staff. It is sometimes employed as a form of punishment beyond incarceration for a prisoner and has been cited as an additional measure of protection from the inmate or is given for violations of prison regulations. Solitary is also used as a form of protective custody and to implement a suicide watch.

Critics argue that this method of punishment does not rehabilitate inmates but rather serves to promote psychological harm. Solitary Confinement is considered to be a form of psychological torture when the period of confinement is longer than a few weeks or is continued indefinitely.

The abuse of solitary or prolonged detention where individuals are forcibly isolated can cause or add to preexisting bouts of depression, mental strain, psychosis, encourage self-mutilation and suicidal tendencies.

[Image via Shutterstock]

Solitary Confinement Misused In Pennsylvania Prison is a post from: The Inquisitr

Pennsylvania’s Kutztown University has lifted its ban on guns.

The state-run university has made the controversial decision to reverse its campus policy in order to allow students with permits to carry concealed guns in open areas.

Per Kutztown University’s policy, any employee or student with said legal permit and “compelling” personal safety reasons can request authorization from campus security. The requests will be handled on a case-by-case basis. All weapons will still be banned from academic buildings, student residence halls, dining facilities and sporting events.

State lawyers warned public institutions that all-out weapons bans would not be legally defensible.

“While I am cognizant of the concerns associated with this change, as a state institution we must follow the advice of legal counsel and do what is necessary to comply with the Second Amendment,” Kutztown President F. Javier Cevallos wrote students in an email. “I can assure you that we have done everything to implement the strongest policy possible, while staying in compliance with constitutional rights.”

Though groups opposed to more lenient gun laws have not yet made formal statements on Kutztown University’s decision to allow students to carry guns in a limited capacity on campus, John Haller, the director of a student concealed carry advocacy group, told Fox News that the policy was a positive step toward greater freedom for gun owners.

“It’s a positive movement,” Haller said. “Properly trained and licensed Pennsylvanians should be able to exercise their Second Amendment rights on a college campus the same way they would elsewhere.”

He continued, arguing that students who have the freedom to carry concealed weapons don’t represent a risk, but a possible deterrent to violence on campus.

“Criminal activity can happen anywhere and I think you saw that very clearly with the Boston bombings,” Haller said. “Of course, universities want to create a dynamic academic environment where people can exchange ideas safely, but the carrying of firearms by properly trained and licensed people is not incompatible with that, quite frankly. We should be allowing college students the ability to defend themselves.”

What do you think of Pennsylvania’s Kutztown University’s decision to allow students to carry concealed firearms?

[Image via: Joshua Minso, Shutterstock]

Pennsylvanian University Lifts Gun Ban is a post from: The Inquisitr

Detective Ronald DePellegrin was working a sting operation to nab an alleged prostitute he had met online, but he must have forgotten he was on the clock, because he didn’t arrest her until … well … after.

The Smoking Gun reports that DePellegrin was working a prostitution sting with the Homestead Police Department, through which he met 22-year-old Diana Gross online and convinced her to meet up. The March operation resulted in her arrest on four prostitution-related charges, but DePellegrin didn’t exactly escape punishment for his part.

See, he actually disrobed, allowed Gross to put a condom on him, and even performed a bit of fellatio on the good detective before he told her he was a cop.

“By the end of your session with me Your once wished fantsay’s [sic] will no longer just be dreams But finally your reality!,” Gross’ online ad read. DePellegrin answered the ad, calling the number an arranging a $145 half-hour session with her.

According to DePellegrin’s report, he picked up baby wipes and condoms before the meet (per Gross’ request), and met her at a hotel. The following is pretty much a script from FX’s The Shield.

“Beckie [Gross' nom de guerre] asked me if I was a cop. I told her no and asked her if she was one. She told me no.” He says she then exposed her breasts and “instructed me to touch her,” to which he apparently complied.

DePellegrin’s report continues that Gross then “asked me if she could grab me. At this she grabbed my groin,” as she “totally undressed.” She told him to do the same, he did, and “Beckie took a condom and placed it on me.”

So there’s your probable cause for prostitution. But DePellegrin just had to be sure.

“Beckie started to perform oral sex on me when I said oh sh** the cops are coming,” DePellegrin stated. “Beckie stopped performing the act and looked out the window.”

DePellegrin then took off the condom, put his clothes back on, announced himself as a cop, and arrested Gross. But it doesn’t end there.

Gross has a lawyer, Michael Waltman, who called DePellegrin’s actions “outrageous,” and said that a civil rights lawsuit against the police is a possibility.

Here’s doubting DePellegrin will get off on the “I’m a method cop” defense.

Pennsylvania Cop Arrests Alleged Prostitute … After is a post from: The Inquisitr

Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey came out in favor of marriage equality Monday. Casey is a conservative Democrat and one of the last in his party to endorse gay marriage.

“After much deliberation and after reviewing the legal, public policy and civil-rights questions presented, I support marriage equality for same-sex couples and believe that DOMA should be repealed,” Casey told The Philadelphia Gay News.

In the past Casey has supported civil unions for same-sex couples and opposed constitutional amendments to ban gay marriage. He supported the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and said he began to reconsider his opposition to gay marriage in 2011 following the first introduction of the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, in the Senate.

Casey said that he was moved by the stories of LGBT Pennsylvanians he encountered. He argued that at a time when marriage is weakening across the country, it does not make sense to prohibit people who want to get married from making the commitment. He said in his statement:

“If two people of the same sex fall in love and want to marry, why would our government stand in their way? At a time when many Americans lament a lack of commitment in our society between married men and women, why would we want less commitment and fewer strong marriages? If two people of the same sex want to raise children, why would our government prevent them from doing so, especially when so many children have only one parent or none at all?”

Casey joins the list of Democratic senators who felt pressured to endorse gay marriage as the issue rose to national prominence during last week’s Supreme Court hearings. Throughout the week, Casey received over 10,000 phone calls in support of gay marriage following a campaign by progressive groups such as MoveOn.org and Equality Pennsylvania. Public opinion has shifted to the point where it is now safer for conservative members of the Democratic party such as Casey to endorse gay marriage without suffering political fallout.

Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey Endorses Marriage Equality is a post from: The Inquisitr

Everyone needs a hobby, but if you’re a teacher, let’s just say that photoshopping the faces of your students onto pornographic images is probably going to raise a couple of red flags.

A Pennsylvania school teacher is facing child pornography charges for just that: He allegedly photoshopped the faces of some of his students onto nude pictures.

Jeffery Schmutzler was a Spanish teacher at Chambersburg Area High School for 16 years. The 42-year-old’s arrest came as a shock to the community, his neighbors, and even his parents. According to law enforcement authorities, Schmutzler had a whopping four terabytes of the stuff on his hard drive. To put that in perspective, that’s around 800 DVDs filled with child pornography.

Friends and family say they have no idea where his behavior came from.

“It’s frightening, because like I said, did you ever see him? No. And you’ve been here 6 or 7 years. It’s disturbing to be so close and not know this is happening. right here in our neighborhood.” Two neighbors recalled.

“He’s never harmed anybody, it’s just you know we didn’t know that he was doing this. So he’s never harmed anybody at all,” his mother said of him. “It’s a total shock to us. So that’s all I can comment on it. We’re gonna do whatever we can to get him help.”

“The sheriff called me that they’ve arrested him. And we had no idea. It came as a total shock to us,” she continued. “Out of nowhere. We didn’t know anything about it,” said his father.

He is currently being held on $60,000 bail, which his parents have pledged to cover. If he’s found guilty, he will face up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and years of supervision to look forward to after he’s released.

Here’s a video report of the story, via Mediaite. What do you think should happen to Jeffery Schmutzler?

Teacher Allegedly Photoshopped Student Faces Into Pornography [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Pittsburgh, PA – An allegedly drunk and upset federal prison guard was so upset after an argument with his wife that he attempted to pry off his wedding ring. Nothing he tried worked, so he decided to try to shoot it off with his pistol. You know the rest.

Alfredo Malespini III, 31, has been charged with shooting his own finger off in a drunken attempt to remove his wedding ring after an argument with his wife in the couple’s home. The criminal complaint said that Bradford police arrived to find Malespini, who explained that he was “trying to get rid of his wedding ring” and thought he’d try to “shoot it off.”

The gunshot pretty much destroyed Malespini’s finger, but ironically, his wedding ring hadn’t budged. Those wedding vows really are forever, folks.

Malespini is a lieutenant at the Federal Correctional Institution-McKean, a medium security prison a few miles away. An assistant at the prison said that Malespini is still employed but wouldn’t comment as to whether he had been suspended or taken any sort of leave. A police lieutenant working the case said he didn’t know anything about Malespini’s employment but said “as far as we know, he is still seeking treatment in Erie.”

He was taken to UPMC Hamot hospital and treated for his gunshot wound as well as mental or emotional issues.

Police confirmed that this wasn’t the first time they had been called to Malespini’s home for domestic disputes, but he has never been charged with a crime before.

The day the shooting occurred, Malespini “had been drinking quite heavily throughout the day and he and his wife had been arguing throughout the day about an affair he had had several months ago,” said the police.

Malespini’s charges include reckless endangerment, which could be punishable by up to two years in prison.

“He was out on his back deck, he was outside…the bullet could have been fired in a direct line with neighbor’s houses,” said the authorities.

We’re sure his inmates would love to have him. Since nobody was hurt except his finger and his pride, maybe Malespini will catch a break in that regard.

Drunken Man Tries To Shoot Off Wedding Ring, You Know The Rest is a post from: The Inquisitr

Lansford, PA – A woman was arrested at a Pennsylvania convenience store for attacking her boyfriend (while not wearing pants) over his refusal to have sex with her.

The woman, 24-year-old Heather Hayes, is facing charges for a February 26 incident that occurred at a Lansford Turkey Hill convenience store. Hayes is charged with indecent exposure, simple assault, open lewdness, and harassment.

Now the image of a woman, without pants on, running into a convenience store to attack her boyfriend while he is presumably filling up a Cherry Slush, needs some explanation.

Arresting Officer Jeffrey Ohl arrived at the convenience store at around 3 am to see Hayes standing by a trashcan, nude from the waist down. He put her in the back seat of his police cruiser and asked what happened after identifying her.

Hayes told him that she had gotten into an argument with Eric Zuber, her boyfriend. He had allegedly refused to have sex with her.

Zuber told Ohl that the two were at his house and confirmed that he turned down sex with Hayes. She then allegedly became argumentative, and the war of words between the two escalated when she started to slap and punch him on his head and back. She also bit him on his left forearm, grabbed his testicles … and twisted.

Yeesh!

So Zuber was actually at the Turkey Hill because he was fleeing Hayes, who apparently started to smash things around the house. He said he went into the convenience store to call 911 and that Hayes was in pursuit, screaming insults and obscenities at him. She followed him into the store and hit him with her house keys.

At the station, Hayes explained that Zuber had been playing Xbox with his friends for the past two days and paid her no attention. This upset her, which led to the altercation.

Why was she sans-pants? Because she wanted to have sex and didn’t want to go upstairs and put a pair on to chase Zuber to the convenience store.

Young love.

Sex-Deprived Nearly Nude Woman Attacks Boyfriend Over Xbox Addiction is a post from: The Inquisitr

Munhall, PA – A teacher has been fired for a comment he made online, but administrators won’t tell him what he said to lose his job or even which social network he said it on.

Alan Francis was a full-time substitute teacher for Steel Valley High School in Pennsylvania before receiving a virtual pink slip from school administrators over something he posted on social media. He has worked for the district for seven years and was fired for a comment he made to a female student on either Facebook or Twitter.

According to Francis, a parent complained about his comment, but he was never told exactly what he had said. The school district told him that his comment was neither vulgar nor inappropriate, though it was an apparent compliment he paid to the female student which made a parent uncomfortable.

“Supposedly a mother had come forward. They said I made a comment to her daughter on Facebook or Twitter, I guess,” he said.

Francis says that he’s very careful about what he puts on social media since comments are public. He said that he’s just confused about the whole situation and wants an explanation.

“They haven’t told me what was said or even if I was the one who said it,” Francis said. “They said it was not vulgar, explicit or sexual in nature.”

Francis said that if the situation is just a misunderstanding and is eventually cleared up, he would take his job back if it was offered to him.

“It hurts to get let go this way after seven great years,” Francis said. “I love the kids there. I love the students. I love the people there.”

The school district refused to comment on the situation. Steel Valley Superintendent Ed Wehrer told local news outlet Channel 11: “I appreciate your diligence in gathering as much information as possible about a story before you broadcast it. Our policy is not to discuss personnel issues in public, so I have no comment.”

Teacher Fired For Online Comment, Doesn’t Know What He Said is a post from: The Inquisitr

A recent sinkhole in Pennsylvania forced a family to temporarily evacuate their home.

Doris Jenkins reportedly returned home from walking her dog to find that a 20-foot sinkhole had consumed a portion of her driveway.

Since officials weren’t sure if the house itself had been compromised by the sinkhole, the family was asked to leave the house for their own safety. Doris’ daughter Inga was particularly upset by the whole situation.

“I wasn’t thinking that this was how I was going to be spend my Sunday afternoon. It’s pretty upsetting to see your driveway start to fall into a hole,” Inga explained.

Officials believe that a 40-year-old sewage pipe likely caused the corrosion that led to the sinkhole opening up in the Jenkins’ front yard. Crews said that nearly 600 feet of piping will need to be replacement at some point in the near future.

In order to prevent the situation from getting any worse for the family, crews have filled the sinkhole with concrete, sand, and fresh soil. They are hoping that this will reinforce the hole enough to prevent something similar from happening again.

This particular area of Pennsylvania reportedly sits on a limestone base. This means that sinkholes are not an uncommon occurrence in the area. Fortunately for the Doris Jenkins and her family, the problem appears to have been solved. They have since been allowed to return to their home.

“It’s nice to be back home, but look at the mess out there. What can you do?” Doris said of the mess in her front yard. Officials estimated the hole to be around 30 feet wide and 12 feet deep.

In order to make sure nobody else in the neighborhood is having the same problem as the Jenkins family, crews are inspecting nearby homes for sinkholes.

Earlier this month, a sinkhole opened up inside a home in Tampa, Florida. The man who was sleeping in the house at the time reportedly died during the incident. Despite efforts from rescue crews, his body was never recovered.

Are you concerned about sinkholes in your neighborhood?

Sinkhole Forces Pennsylvania Family To Evacuate Home is a post from: The Inquisitr

Chester, PA – A shootout between cops and two stray dogs in a Pennsylvania suburb has left residents shocked, particularly because the scene occurred right in front of Chester High School.

NBC News reports that the incident began Friday afternoon when a dog got into the back of a pickup truck and started fighting with another dog. Cops were called to the scene, and when they weren’t able to separate the two dogs, they instead shot them five rounds from a pistol, and one blast from a shotgun.

The incident was captured on a cell phone video, and residents were shocked by the police reaction, reports NBC News affiliate NBC10.

“I don’t care how bad they try to make Chester seem, this is not a war zone, you don’t do things like that,” said Tehran Freeman, a dog owner who lives a block away from the scene. Freeman was also the one who captured the footage of the police reaction.

“I thought them as the police should be held to a higher standard and would have some type of procedure for breaking it up than actually pulling out your pistols in front of the high school,” Freeman continued.

He also said that seeing the police’s reaction was the “last thing that I thought would happen,” adding, “It wasn’t secure at all, I know bullets can ricochet and anything else — you’re trying to shoot two animals in the back of a metal vehicle, that bullet can go anywhere.”

It wasn’t clear who the dog’s owners were, but Freeman said that the aggressor appeared to be a pit bull.

Freeman also noted that the two cops on the scene seemed just as disturbed as everyone else was.

“One of the officers actually looked very, very shaken up about it,” he said.

View more videos at: http://nbcphiladelphia.com.

Dogs Shot By Pennsylvania Cops … In Front Of Chester High School [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Hollidaysburg, PA – Accused friar Brother Stephen Baker was found dead in an apparent suicide at St. Bernadine Monastery in Pennsylvania earlier today.

The 62-year-old Franciscan friar was accused by eleven different individuals of child sexual abuse in Ohio and more in Pennsylvania, Fox reports. Blair township police Chief Roger White said that authorities were called to the monastery where they found the accused friar’s dead body.

The allegations against Baker came from two students at two difference Catholic high schools. Baker had settled in court with his now-grown accusers from John F. Kennedy High School in Warren, Ohio, but new complaints against him arose regarding additional child sexual abuse cases from students at Bishop McCort High School in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

The accused friar used to be the school’s athletic trainer. Twenty former students accused him of assaulting or molesting students under the guise of providing therapeutic treatment or medical care for sports injuries, said Attorney Michael Parrish of Johnstown, who represents Baker’s accusers.

“Many of them did not realize until the stories began to break that what he was in fact doing to them was an assault or molestation, not actual therapeutic care,” Parrish said, explaining that his clients were between the ages of 14 and 18 at the time of the abuse.

“He would treat these individuals for a hamstring injury and use that as an opportunity to physically grope them and do other things that constitutes a sexual assault under Pennsylvania law.”

ABC News reports that police declined to comment on exactly how Baker killed himself, or whether or not he left a suicide note, explaining his actions.

Accused Friar Found Dead: Stephen Baker Commits Suicide Over Sex Abuse Case is a post from: The Inquisitr

After all of the stories of Catholic priests being accused of child abuse, among other atrocities, you would think they would have learned by now. Apparently for one Roman Catholic in Pennsylvania, the point hadn’t been driven home yet.

A suspended Pittsburgh-area priest will be sent to prison for more than eight years after having been discovered in possession of thousands of images of child pornography on his computer, books, and compact discs. Rev. Bartley Sorensen received more than the five-year mandatory minimum Wednesday but less than the 10-year maximum he faced, according to Yahoo News.

Sorensen, 63, was arrested by Allegheny County authorities in December 2011 after an employee at St. John Fisher Parish found him looking at a photo of a young boy sans underpants on his computer. An arrest affidavit said the female employee saw the image appeared to be a five to 10-year-old boy under the caption “Hottie Boys” on the priest’s computer in his residence.

Allegheny County police arrested Sorensen and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh removed him from active ministry and placed him on leave.

FOX News reports that Federal officials took over the investigation after a search revealed thousands of child pornography images, some of them sadomasochistic.

Sorensen pleaded guilty in May, expressing remorse to everyone but the young boys depicted in images on his computer. He is scheduled to appear in court this Friday on Federal charges.

Sorry, Reverend, God may forgive you, but the courts and likely thousands of others feel otherwise.

Pennsylvania Priest To Spend Eight Years In Prison For Child Pornography is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Pennsylvania Railroad calendar arrived at its intended destination on Friday with just one flaw – the Postal Service delivered it 63 years late.

The package was delivered to the front desk of The Scranton Times-Tribune in Pennsylvania, with no indication from the postal carrier that anything was out of the ordinary. Bobby Lynett, a publisher of The Times-Tribune and CEO of Times-Shamrock Communications, was quickly given the unusual tube shaped parcel.

The Scranton Times-Tribune writes that Lynett carefully unrolled the contents and found a 1950 Pennsylvania Railroad calendar. Featuring a painting by Grif Teller titled Crossroads of Commerce, the calendar was originally mailed from the railroad’s publicity department in Philadelphia.

The package was addressed to James W. Flanagan, who served as the newspaper’s general manager from 1936 until his passing in 1949. His impressive career with the newspaper spanned 54 years beginning in 1895 with a salesboy position. He was 63-years-old at the time of his death.

The Postal Service has not been able to trace the history of Flanagan’s 63-years-late calendar but a spokesman offered a few possible scenarios.

Lost mail is sometimes recovered when a machine is taken apart or during post office renovations. There have also been cases involving mail found inside purchased items, such as furniture from a yard sale. When someone finds a piece of lost letter or package in such instances, they will often drop the item back into mail circulation.

According to The Associated Press, Bobby Lynette plans to contact a railroad museum at the Steamtown National Historic Site to find if the calendar would be of interest to them. If that’s not an option he says he will put the railroad calendar on display in the Times-Tribune offices.

What do you think about a railroad calendar being delivered 63 years late by the Postal Service?

Railroad Calendar Delivered 63 Years Late By Postal Service is a post from: The Inquisitr

Philadelphia, PA – The city is making an aggressive effort to combat the prevalence of rampant sexually transmitted diseases amongst adolescents. Locals consider the numbers to represent an alarming public health crisis, as teens account for a fourth of new STD cases. Therefore, when the students return from Christmas break, they’ll find condom dispensers in 22 high schools.

The city distributed four million condoms in 2011, coinciding with a notable drop in local STD rates. Therefore, the schools in the area with the highest STD rates will be providing the condoms for free but only to students whose parents have signed forms for the program.

Mayor Michael A. Nutter asserted to Philly.com:

“I support the policy strongly. This is a serious public health matter. The reality is: Many of our teenagers, regardless of what adults think, are engaged in sexual activities. Discussion about whether or not they should be sexually active is an appropriate discussion, but if they are, then we need to make sure they’re engaged in safe sexual practices.”

Nutter, himself the parent of a Philadelphia School District teenager, feels it is a necessary move.

Additional information is available on the Philadelphia Government page, outlining the sexually transmitted infections crisis in the area. Shockingly, stats reflected that 15 percent of students surveyed said they were never taught about HIV or AIDS in school, even though the curriculum requires a semester of Health Education. Thirty-seven percent admitted they had not used a condom during their most recent intercourse. Fifteen percent had sexual intercourse for the first time before they were 13 years old.

Philadelphia Installing Condom Dispensers In High Schools is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Pennsylvania man is facing several criminal charges after throwing a tantrum over a burger at McDonald’s.

Brought about by his dissatisfaction at cheese being incorrectly added to his order, the outburst snowballed into an assault on an employee at the restaurant.

An article in The York Dispatch states that a complaint was filed on December 18 against 35-year-old Sean Varone of Dover Township in Pennsylvania. Springettsbury Township police say the man is being charged with disorderly conduct, criminal mischief, and simple assault for his actions.

According to Pennsylvania authorities, the incident took place on November 30, 2012 at approximately 11 am. After receiving his order at the McDonald’s restaurant Varone was upset to find cheese on his hamburger. Police allege that he proceeded to throw one of the restaurant’s highchairs and knock over a trash bin before going outside.

The Associated Press writes that one of the McDonald’s employees followed Varone into the parking lot in an effort to secure his license plate number. The complaint claims that as the employee attempted to dial 911 for police assistance the angry customer attacked her.

Police allege that during the attack Varone wrapped his arms around the worker causing physical restraint. The struggle culminated with the accused man yanking the employee’s cell phone from her hand and throwing the device across the lot. Authorities have indicated that the altercation caused minor injuries to the employee.

Court documents indicate that dates have not yet been scheduled for Varone’s informal arraignment and preliminary hearing.

Tell us what you think of a grown man throwing a tantrum over a burger?

Tantrum Over Burger: Man Assaults McDonald’s Employee is a post from: The Inquisitr

A nursing home hidden camera led to the arrests of two former employees in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

NBC News reports that an investigation conducted by police and the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare resulted in charges being filed against workers Regina Battles, 20, and Irene Rodriguez, 22.

According to investigators, the alleged abuse took place at Arbors at Buck Run, a nursing facility in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Authorities were initially alerted to the possible abuse by the daughter of an elderly patient residing at the home.

Philly.com writes that the daughter became suspicious of mistreatment after her mother was taken to Abington Memorial Hospital for the treatment of injuries that included bruising, scabs, and bleeding from the woman’s feet.

Taking matters into their own hands, the family of the victim decided to place a hidden camera in her room in the hopes of identifying her abusers. It seems they may have been successful; the video allegedly captures the workers taunting and dancing around the elderly patient. The footage goes on to show harsher abuse.

From WVPI-TV:

“Police say the hidden video shows repeated incidents in which Rodriguez and Battles allegedly picked up the victim from her wheelchair, dump her on her bed and then roughly tossing her legs onto the mattress.”

No longer employed at the nursing home, both workers have been charged with neglect of a care dependent person, reckless endangerment, simple assault, and harassment. The facility’s license has also been revoked by the Department of Public Welfare.

Would you use a hidden camera to protect your loved ones in a nursing home? What do you think should happen to the Pennsylvania workers if found guilty?

Nursing Home Hidden Camera Gets Pennsylvania Workers Arrested is a post from: The Inquisitr

Carlisle, PA – A science classroom explosion and a fire in an eighth grade classroom sent seven students and one teacher to the hospital. Two of the injured children were transported by helicopter from Wilson Middle School to the John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for treatment.

A Carlisle Regional Medical Center spokeswoman reported that the local facility treated the teacher and five students for minor injuries. The cause of the explosion in the science classroom remains under investigation, according to Fox News.

WHTM-TV reports that two students and one teacher suffered from smoke inhalation. The local news station also notes that five students were burned when the explosion happened inside the middle school science lab. The injured students received initial treatment from nurses and paramedics before being transported to area hospitals. The unidentified teacher has reportedly been employed at Wilson Middle School for three years.

A total of 25 students were in the classroom when the explosion occurred. The eight grade wing was evacuated, but school officials do not think any severe damage was sustained inside the classroom.

Cumberland County Public Safety spokeswoman Meg Silverstrim stated that the fire inside the eighth grade classroom was quickly contained. After the explosion and fire were handled by the middle school science teacher, the student body and the staff carried on with the regular school day.

Carlisle Area School District Superintendent John Friend told the media that a fireball occurred when some type of chemicals were mixed together. He said the teacher was able to put out the fire with a classroom extinguisher, according to USA Today.

The names of the injured students and the teacher have not yet been released to the media.

Pennsylvania Science Classroom Explosion Injures Eight is a post from: The Inquisitr

Gloucester City, PA – A well-intentioned New Jersey man agreed to pick up a friend’s daughter from school, and ended up nearly being charged for kidnapping after picking up the wrong girl.

Art Deaner picked up the wrong Courtney from school, but it was all a misunderstanding. He had agreed to retrieve a friend’s 6-year-old daughter as a personal favor, and got 9-year-old Courtney Durr into his vehicle. The problem here is that he needed to get Courtney Fetter, reports MSN.

Apparently, Deaner had no idea what the girl he was after looked like.

“I told her I was looking for Courtney,’” Deaner recalled after spotting the wrong Courtney. “And the young girl said her name was Courtney.”

Translation: Deaner hopped out of the car, said “you’ll do,” and scooped up a light-haired girl.

Joking aside, Deaner realized his mistake when he asked the girl about a recent trip Courtney Fetter had taken to Maine with her mom, reports NY Daily.

“He was like, ‘You weren’t with Aunt Mary in Maine?’” Courtney Durr said. “No, I would never have been in Maine.”

“I got the wrong Courtney,” Deaner said.

Realizing his mistake, Deaner turned around to take Courtney Durr back, but police were already in hot pursuit. A crossing guard had called them after seeing Durr jump into a suspicious vehicle.

Deaner was in fact arrested, but after he explained the mix-up, the police let him go. Both girls were returned to their respective families, and Courtney Durr’s mother said that she forgave Deaner for the mistake.

For Courtney Durr, the incident reminded her of an ancient childhood gospel:

“Don’t go in someone’s car when you don’t know them,” she said.

Man Picks Up Friend’s Daughter, Accidentally Kidnaps Wrong Girl is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Pennsylvania voting machine went on a rogue mission to elect Mitt Romney as the next President of the United States on Tuesday. The electronic voting machine which was caught malfunctioning was changing Barack Obama entered votes to Mitt Romney votes immediately after the voters choice was entered via touchscreen.

An internet user by the name of centralpavote realized the mistake and quickly recorded the malfunctioning voting machine on his smartphone. Shortly after centralpavote uploaded the video to YouTube (see below) and then posted it to Reddit, the machine was removed.

Reddit users were quick to engage with the broken voting machine video, which received more than 4,800 “up votes” in a short period of time.

Officials are not sure if the voting machine had an error because of a simple software glitch or if a more advanced hack was involved in the voting breakdown.

There is the possibility that the touchscreen on the device was malfunctioning. President Obama’s name is located only one inch away from the choice for Mitt Romney. There is the possibility that certain parts of the touchscreen were registering wrong locations upon each press of the display.

Here is the uploaded video of the faulty Romney supporting voting machine in Pennsylvania:

Pennsylvania has had its fair share of problems in support of the Republican party on Tuesday. Early today we reported on a situation in which a judge had to order Republicans to stop demanding that voters show their photo identification outside of polling locations.

Voting Machine Fraud? Pennsylvania Voting Machine Changes Obama Votes To Romney Votes [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Give it a rest! The Romney campaign has confirmed that the GOP presidential candidate will make a couple of final stops today, which is Election Day. Can you guess where Romney will be showing up? None other than battleground state Ohio.

Chasing that final demographic, Romney will go to Ohio (and Pennsylvania) on Election Day for a last-minute voting grab before the polls close, the votes are counted, and the president is picked.

The Romney campaign’s announcement is something of a surprise since Romney was originally supposed to wrap up his campaign with a late-night rally on Monday in New Hampshire. Both Romney and Obama have been fighting hard in Ohio to win the state, and recent polls have tipped back and forth favoring each candidate, if only slightly.

Should Romney be campaigning on Election Day?

Sure! Both Obama and then-opponent John McCain did the same in 2008, with Obama holding an Election Day event in Indiana, winning the state. McCain held rallies in New Mexico and Colorado on Election Day but lost them both.

“It’s terrific that Mitt Romney’s campaigning today, he’s also going to vote, but he’s going to be in Pittsburgh as I understand it and Cleveland, you know we’re going to push this right to the end,” said Ohio Senator Rob Portman, in an interview with Fox News.

Asked if Romney could win without Ohio, Portman said it was “possible, but tough.”

“I wouldn’t want to take the risk of losing it. There’s a possibility you could put it together through other states but I think we are going to win in Ohio, I’ve got a good feel for this on the ground, I didn’t feel this in 2008 frankly.”

Pennsylvania, Romney’s other campaign stop, hasn’t voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 1988.

President Obama, for his part, has no campaign plans for Election Day, reports Boston.com. He officially brought his campaign to a close last night in Des Moines, Iowa.

Mitt Romney Is Campaigning Today (Election Day) In Ohio is a post from: The Inquisitr

Glen Rock, PA – A Pennsylvania woman was allegedly drunk when she jumped into a flooded creek to rescue wild ducks during Hurricane Sandy. When Justina Lyn Laniewski made her dangerous wade into Codorus Creek on Monday night, her preschool child reportedly attempted to follow her.

Thankfully, a quick-thinking neighbor grabbed a hold of the youngster before the child made it all the way into the water. Although Laniewski made it out of the raging creek alive, it took eight firefighters from at a nearby station to rescue the 41-year-old woman, according to Yahoo News.

The allegedly drunken woman and her daughter were reportedly at a home near the firehouse on Hanover Street. After Laniewski saw the 25 or so ducks on the flooding creek, she allegedly voiced her desire to save the birds.

Justina’s failed duck rescue placed her in neck-high waters as Hurricane Sandy rolled ashore. Glen Rock police officers charged her with public drunkenness, reckless endangerment, and disorderly conduct. Laniewski reportedly told police officers that she merely slipped and fell into the flooded Pennsylvania creek, the Huffington Post reports. She was arraigned and released on a $5,000 bail.

Patrolman Daniel Teague notes that around 6 pm he had been advised of the need for a water rescue near the firehouse, according to the York Daily News. Teague also stated that he was told the woman was “somewhat of a problem” and intoxicated.

A breath test administered to the suspect after the incident revealed her alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit for driving a car, according to Southern Regional Sergeant Darryl Smuck. She was also arrested on two counts of public drunkenness last year.

Allegedly Drunken Pennsylvania Woman Jumped Into Creek To Save Ducks During Hurricane Sandy is a post from: The Inquisitr

The remnants of Sandy may be bogging down efforts of firefighters attempting to battle a fire that FDNY officials say is affecting 15 homes in a flooded zone area in the Breezy Point section of the Rockaway peninsula in Queens.

According to NBC New York, FDNY officials say that they responded to calls for a fire in Breezy Point that came in just after 11 pm Monday night.

Fire officials say that the fire is rather difficult to fight because of the heavy winds produced by Hurricane Sandy. The fact that the houses are close together also makes the fire harder to deal with.

According to fire officials, there are 200 firefighters on the scene battling the 5-alarm fire.

Officials say that no people have been pulled out of the houses and that access is very difficult and limited. So far, two people have suffered minor injuries.

The cause of the 5-alarm fire is still not yet known.

The 5-alarm fire is not the only emergency that Queens is facing. Hurricane Sandy has left most of New York and New Jersey in shambles.

According to Fox News, Hurricane Sandy slammed into the East Coast on Monday, killing at least 16 people, hurling a record-breaking 13-foot surge of seawater at New York City, and knocking out power to an estimated 6.2 million people.

The 16 confirmed deaths were reported in New Jersey, New York, Maryland, North Carolina, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. Some of the victims were killed by falling trees. At least one death was blamed on the storm in Canada.

Here is footage of the 5-alarm fire that is effecting the Breezy Point section in Queens:

UPDATE: The 5-alarm fire has been upgraded to a 6-alarm fire and has affected upwards of 50 homes in Queens, New York.

[Update] Firefighters Attempt To Fight 5-Alarm Fire In Queens In Wake Of Hurricane Sandy is a post from: The Inquisitr

A new Pennsylvania law that has passed the state House and Senate will allow employers to keep part of the money their workers pay for income taxes.

Reported by Philadelphia’s City Paper the law is meant as a tax incentive that will lure software company Oracle to Pennsylvania. Officials hope other tech firms will follow suit and hire more workers in the state. Oracle is expected to bring with it 250 new jobs.

The plan would allow companies to keep 95% of workers’ withheld income taxes instead of sending that money off to the state treasury.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer the bill is meant to spur job creation. Opponents of the bill suggest that a general tax reduction for all businesses would make more sense.

Daniel Denvir mocks the bill and its “job creator” roots:

“Your taxes would get withheld by your boss like normal, but they would then keep them and spend it on private jets or monogrammed bathroom fixtures or whatever.”

Corporations will be capped at $5 million per year and the program is only set through 2018.

Governor Tom Corbett has not officially said he will sign the bill into law.

To quality for the income tax program companies will need to hire at least 250 full time employees, provide them with health insurance and pay more than the average wage currently offered to workers in Pennsylvania county.

Do you think this income tax rebate is a good idea for companies and the state of Pennsylvania or will it fall flat by 2018?

Pennsylvania Law: Workers Will Pay Taxes To Their Employers is a post from: The Inquisitr

Philadelphia, PA – A female passenger aboard a Philly subway reported that she gave birth while riding the train, according to CBS Philly.

SEPTA Police Officer Loyd Rodgers and his partner said that they helped a female passenger aboard a Philly subway after she approached them at the Olney station on the Broad Street Subway line and informed them that she had just given birth aboard the northbound train. She was apparently carrying the newborn baby boy in her clothing, umbilical cord still attached, reports ABC News.

Oh, to be a fly on the wall.

Rodgers, a 12-year-vet and father to a teenage daughter, wrapped the newborn in a blanket and immediately called for medics. Cynthia Leaks, a SEPTA cashier said that the little boy was “beautiful,” and Rodgers added that both the newborn and his mother were very calm.

Rodgers said in an interview that the normally-bustling Philly subway station had halted over the newborn drama, with several passengers taking pictures and shouting “congratulations” to the new mom. “It was a celebration,” said Rodgers, “a real celebration.”

The mother, who was not identified, and her newborn baby boy are both doing well at the Einstein Medical center. Ironically, the “Philly subway mom” was on her way to the doctor regarding the pregnancy when she gave birth unexpectedly on the train.

An exclusive video of the Philly subway birth including an interview with Officer Rodgers can be found at CBS. Go nuts!

Woman Unexpectedly Gives Birth On Philly Subway, Calmly Alerts Officers is a post from: The Inquisitr

Pennsylvania’s State Employee Retirement System (SERS) is seeking to void former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky’s pension plan; he was sentenced yesterday to 30 to 60 years in prison for molesting 10 boys.

In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, the agency references two convictions in particular, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and indecent assault, as grounds for revoking the annual $59,000 pension Sandusky’s received since retiring in 1999. The letter stated they will also revoke the spousal benefits of his wife, Dottie.

SERS based their decision on a 1978 pension forfeiture law which denies retirement benefits to any state employee convicted of financial crimes relating to their office. This forfeiture of benefits specifically sites Sandusky’s crimes committed after 2004, which is the year Pennsylvania expanded the law to include any public school employee convicted of sex crimes against a student.

SERS Board Chairman Nicholas Maiale explained to Pennsylvania’s The Patriot-News that the decision to revoke Sandusky’s retirement benefits comes after months of administrative review. Maiale also stated their findings are now open to appeal, a move Sandusky’s lawyer, Karl Rominger, vows to pursue.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Rominger says he believes the findings won’t hold up in Pennsylvania’s court system: “It’s my inclination to believe that they are just going through the motions to try to throw some red meat to the public, but they know they are going to lose.” Rominger bases his assessment on the fact that his client was convicted of abusing children who were not current Penn State students.

The original 1978 law includes a provision for forfeiture if it was public employment which allowed the convicted party to commit a crime; this means the court could consider the work Sandusky did for his charity for troubled youths, The Second Mile, applicable, considering he often used Penn State facilities and was seen by eyewitnesses engaging in sexual abuse on school grounds. After taking his appeal to SERS board, Sandusky will then have the option of appealing to the state.

No Pension for Sandusky: Pennsylvania Moves To Forfeit Retirement Funds is a post from: The Inquisitr

Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson has ordered that Pennsylvania’s 6-month-old voter ID law be delayed until after the November election cycle.

While an appeal is likely a new decision would have to be ruled upon within the next five weeks in order to positively effect the Republican party.

Critics of the voter ID law which requires photo identification to vote in the state of Pennsylvania include the AARP and NAACP. Those groups and others say the law gives Republicans an unfair advantage because certain Democrat segments of the voting population do not have the means to obtain a photo ID. The groups equate the voter ID law to Jim Crow tactics.

The law came under increased scrutiny when a top Republican lawmaker admitted that the voter ID law would give GOP nominee Mitt Romney the victory in Pennsylvania.

Judge Robert Simpson heard two days worth of testimony and at the time said he would consider invalidating a narrow portion of the law. During testimony state officials admitted that they have never caught a single person engaging in an act of in-person voter fraud.

Pennsylvania is an important election state because of its 20 electoral votes, sixth most in the United Sates. A majority of Republicans are trailing in the state.

While Democrats have strongly opposed the law they have also been able to use it as a tool to gather grassroots support while rallying voters around what they believe to be unfair practices. Defeating the bill however could have the opposite effect, allowing Republicans to make their case to voters while driving them to vote.

The Pennsylvania voter ID law is among the toughest in the United States and has largely been met with criticism because the state has not put into place easy tools for the disadvantaged to receive a free photo ID for voting purposes.

Other groups opposing the law include the American Civil Liberties Union, League of Women Voters, Latino Justice, and SeniorLAW Center.

Without easy and free access to voter IDs it is likely this debate will rage on not only in Pennsylvania but all throughout the country.

Judge Delays Pennsylvania’s Voter ID Law is a post from: The Inquisitr

Hawley, PA – A 20-year-old man was found bleeding profusely and naked after allegedly chewing on a woman’s head in Wayne County. Police officers encountered the bizarre scene, which some are describing as a zombie-like attack early Friday morning. The two women who escaped without serious injuries, told investigators that the man identified as Richard Cimino Jr. was allegedly “screaming like an animal.”

Pennsylvania police officers used a stun gun on the naked man they said acted in a confrontational and delusional manner, according to the Daily Mail. The man accused of the zombie attack is believed to have parked his car along the street before stripping down to just his underwear and running about the neighborhood.

He allegedly attempted to break into a home, but the resident woke up and chased him away. Cimino is then believed to have gotten into a vacant home, pitched his underwear, and jumped out the second floor window. The heavy bleeding likely stemmed from injuries sustained in the window escapade, according to police reports.

The women startled by the sight of a bloody naked man became even more frightened when one of them was knocked to the ground. The ladies maintain that Cimino gnawed on the head of one woman while screaming wildly. The suspect lunged at the officers and punched a paramedic in the face, The Morning Call reports. He was taken to Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton for treatment.

The litany of charges against the so-called zombie attacker included indecent exposure, simple assault, aggravated assault, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, defiant trespass, and burglary. Investigators have not confirmed if the head gnawing suspect was under the influence of bath salts or any other type of drug.

‘Zombie’ Attack In Pennsylvania: Naked, Bloody Man Accused Of Chewing On Woman’s Head is a post from: The Inquisitr

A group of 50 Lukoil gas station owners in New Jersey raised the cost of a gallon of gas to $8 on Wednesday to protest what they claim are unfair pricing practices by Lukoil North America. Store owners allegedly hope the vast increases at the pump will raise consumer awareness about the challenges the fuel dealers are facing, according to The Blaze.

Garden State gasoline station owners reportedly feel the gas supplier has placed them at a distinct competitive disadvantage, NJ.Com reports. The fuel retailers claim they typically pay between 5 to 20 cents more a gallon than competing businesses.

New Jersey Gasoline, Convenience, Automotive Association Executive Director Sal Risalvato had this to say about the $8 per gallon increase:

“We were all at a breaking point. They essentially sell the very same gasoline to stations in close proximity of each other at different prices in order to game the market and compete with other gasoline brands. In doing so, the price may differ by as much as 25 cents a gallon, and place the retailer and the retailer’s customers at an enormous disadvantage over another station. No matter what the market conditions are on a particular day, Lukoil’s prices are higher than just about every retail competitor We’re raising prices to an offensive level as a way of protesting.”

The business owners maintain that supplier pricing policies have caused them to lose approximately 50 percent of their customer base or close up shop altogether.

For now, only New Jersey residents will see signs boasting the $8 a gallon fuel cost, but Risalvato maintains that convenience store owners in Pennsylvania have also expressed interest in joining the movement. The shocking figure is scheduled to be active for approximately the next 24 hours. So far, the Russian oil company with corporate office in New York City has not commented on the protest.

New Jersey Gas Stations Raise Prices To $8 Per Gallon is a post from: The Inquisitr

An unknown man allegedly attacked a 17-year-old boy before dropping to his knees in a Tebow stance, according to The Smoking Gun. The suspect, who promptly fled the scene of the crime after engaging the Lord in a quick prayer session, allegedly attacked the boy after the teen accidentally drove his lawnmower into the path of the man’s car. Unable to control himself, the suspect leaped from his vehicle and proceeded to assault the unsuspecting kid.

WTAE reports that the victim was on his riding mower, minding his own business, when he went to turn the machine around. In the process, the teenager allegedly drove the mower in the path of the suspect’s car, an act which apparently caused the gentleman extreme agitation. As a result, he popped out of the automobile and proceeded to knock the boy from the lawnmower.

Unfortunately, the encounter didn’t conclude there. In addition to knocking the kid off the mower, the unknown man then proceeded to assault the boy, an act which apparently caused the suspect a fair amount of internal conflict. On the way back to the car, the man knelt down in a pose famously used by professional football star Tim Tebow. After a quick word with his personal Lord and Savior, the suspect hopped in the car and immediately motored away.

According to The Smoking Gun, police are now on the lookout for a tall, bald man wearing spectacles. The Tebowing suspect reportedly fled the scene in a maroon car, which local authorities believe is a 1980s Chrysler New Yorker.

Tebowing, named after NFL star Tim Tebow, is defined by Urban Dictionary as an act which requires an individual to who “get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different.” Just recently, the Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore dropped the Tebow pose while weathering Hurricane Isaac. In reality, he was probably just praying for his life.

Suspect ‘Tebows’ After Assaulting 17-Year-Old Pennsylvania Boy is a post from: The Inquisitr

Former Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter had been hospitalized, and now confirms that he is once again battling cancer.

Specter, 82, has overcome numerous serious illnesses in the past, battling non-Hodgkins lymphoma and a brain tumor in 2005 and 2008. Six weeks ago, Specter was diagnosed with a new form of cancer, though details of his condition have been closely guarded by his family. He had a “big flareup” on Monday,and confirmed Tuesday that he is battling cancer once again.

“I am battling cancer, and it’s another battle I intend to win,” Specter said in a statement obtained by the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I am grateful for the well wishes I have received and I am looking forward to getting back to work, to the comedy stage, the squash court and the ballpark,” says Specter, a noted Phillies fan.

Specter was a US Senator from 1980 until 2011, making him the longest-serving member of the Senate from Pennsylvania. For most of those years, Specter was a GOP member, before switching sides to the Democratic Party in 2009, reasoning that Republicans had moved too far to the right. This move gave Democrats the coveted 60-seat filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. He ran for re-election two years later, losing in the Democratic primary, reports CNN.

Since then, Specter had returned to his law practice and assumed a position at the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

“Arlen’s knowledge of the inner workings of the government and lawmaking is second to none,” said Michael Fitts, the law school’s dean. “The insight he brings from his career in public service, particularly as a leader on judicial issues, will be invaluable to our students as they prepare for their own careers in the law.”

Best wishes to Arlen Specter and his family from IQ. We hope that his prediction rings true, and that he recovers from his third round of cancer.

Arlen Specter Confirms He Is Battling Cancer Once Again is a post from: The Inquisitr

The lunch lady fined $600per day in her township in Pennsylvania has been garnering a lot of attention this week — we reported on the issue two days ago — and while a fine hasn’t kicked in yet for Angela Prattis, it seems the township is determined to shake her down one way or the other if she continues feeding needy kids.

The lunch lady fined $600 lives in Toby Farms community of Chester Township, and during the summer — when schools that often provide needy kids with much-appreciated breakfasts and lunches are closed — Prattis provides as many as 60 kids in the area with boxed lunches as part of a subsidized program. The lunch lady’s program is funded by the state department of education and administered by the archdiocese of Philadelphia, and she explains how vital the service is for some of the children in her vicinity:

“I’m not stopping. These kids are hungry. I’m not tearing down the community. I’m keeping the children out of harm’s way… Last Friday, I had 20 children walk to my house in the pouring rain for lunch, and at 2 pm they came back for a snack. Tell me this program is not needed.”

It seems the lunch lady’s fine was the typical tale of municipality bureaucracy gone wild, and, indeed, a lot of it comes down to money — Prattis says that she will either be fined $600 per day, or there’s an alternative: To pay $1,000 for a special permit that allows her to feed the hungry kids.

Since the lunch lady fined $600 story hit national news sources, Bill Pisarek, the Chester Township business manager, commented to a local NBC affiliate to explain why the township seeks to levy the hefty fine. Pisarek explains:

“Basically the property is in an R3 residential zone… We’re not here to go after her, to hurt her, to take money from her or to prevent her from feeding kids that need the food.”

The lunch lady says that, until she has a chance to appeal the fine or ordinance fee, she plans to keep feeding needy kids lunch.

View more videos at: http://nbcphiladelphia.com.

Lunch Lady Fined $600 For Feeding Needy Kids? Township Explains The Reasoning is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Pennsylvania man found himself behind bars on Saturday night when he was caught stealing a bag of marijuana from the local police station. The reason for his attempted theft? He said the pot smelled so good he could resist it.

David Allan Thompson was placed under arrest by the Charleroi Regional police department for swiping the drugs, which were supposed to be logged as evidence in another case according to the Observer-Reporter.

Officer David Kimball filed a police affidavit with District Judge Jay Weller saying that Thompson came to him to offer information on a an unrelated case. Kimball said, at one point during their conversation, Thompson followed him into a room where the weed was being kept on a counter. Kimball then escorted Thompson back to the other area. When he went back to the room where the weed was, he noticed it was gone.

Kimball asked one of the other officers where the evidence was, and then he and another officer ran outside to find Thompson. When they tracked him down, they ran up to him and asked where the weed was. Thompson opened his left hand and was promptly arrested. He also had a marijuana pipe in his pocket.

The police said when they brought Thompson back to the station he was very apologetic, saying:

“I just couldn’t help myself. That bud smelled so good.”

He also told the police that he couldn’t believe they were arresting him for “taking a little bit of weed,” especially since he had stopped by to give them information.

Thompson went before Judge Weller and was charged with theft, receiving stolen property, tampering with or fabricating evidence, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Man Steals Marijuana From Police Station Because ‘It Smelled So Good’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Angela Prattis is determined not to stop giving meals to hungry Pennsylvania children even though township authorities threatened her with a daily $600 fine. Prattis did not obtain an ordinance variance which Chester township officials maintain she needs to conduct such charitable activities. The special permit carries a $1,000 price tag, according to The Blaze. The meals are donated through education department funds under the guidance of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Prattis began handing out meals to needy children after she moved to the Trainer, Pennsylvania area several years ago. She first distributed meals to underprivileged children at the Church of the Overcomer. After the birth of her second child, Angela Prattis began using the gazebo on her own property to feed approximately 60 needy area children during the summer months.

“I’m not stopping. These kids are hungry. I’m not tearing down the community. I’m keeping the children out of harm’s way,” Prattis stated during a Daily Times interview. “Last Friday, I had 20 children walk to my house in the pouring rain for lunch, and at 2 pm they came back for a snack. Tell me this program is not needed.”

Several weeks ago, Township Council Chairman Stanley Kester reportedly received a phone call from a resident notifying him about the food giveaway for needy children at the Prattis home. After conferring with the township solicitor, it was decided that local zoning laws did not allow such acts without an ordinance variance.

Angela Prattis believes she is not in violation of zoning laws because she is not cooking or selling food to others. The Pennsylvania woman, who is dedicated to carrying on the summer food supplement program for low-income children, also feels that, if an ordinance variance is needed, the fee should be waved for charitable activities.

Do agree that the fee should be waived so that Angela Prattis can continue handing out food to needy children?

Woman Threatened With $600 Daily Fine If She Doesn’t Stop Handing Out Food To Needy Children is a post from: The Inquisitr

Scranton, PA – Cops caught a lucky break this week in the war on drugs. Today’s “dumbest criminal” accidentally butt-dialed 911 in the middle of a drug deal.

Scranton native Justin Kryzanowski is in quite a rut with the law. The 24-year-old was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a prohibited offensive weapon after police arrested him at his residence, reports the Times-Tribune. Authorities say they found syringes loaded with Suboxone, various prescription medications, drug paraphernalia and brass knuckles in Kryzanowski’s residence. How they found him makes the story worth the telling.

Apparently, he accidentally butt-dialed 911 in the middle of a drug deal. The Lackawanna County Communications Center called Scranton police to tell them that they were in the process of recording an entire conversation between Kryzanowski and a man named “Rick,” during which the former was attempting to purchase illegal drugs, according to Newser. Police were able to trace Kryzanowski’s position through his open line and find him in his apartment where they made the arrest.

Police found Kryzanowski worse for wear, speaking slowly and slurred, with pill bottles and a bottle cap with water in it in plain sight. The claimed his cell phone as well, finding that the number matched that which dialed out to 911.

Kryzanowski admitted to the drug deal, which took place in a car on the 100 block of West Market Street. He said that his friend Rick furnished him with the Suboxone, a medication that is used for the treatment of opioid dependence, which he immediately took.

What say you? Drug buyer butt-dials 911 during deal – dumbest criminal of the week? Sound off!

That Was A Freebie: Man Butt-Dials 911 During Drug Deal is a post from: The Inquisitr

“Jar Kitty,” the cat that somehow managed to get a jar stuck on its head, has finally been freed of its cranial prison after 20 days of confinement, according to WTAE. The unfortunate kitten was first spotted by Greensburg, Pennsylvania resident Janine Quinn, who tried for nearly three weeks to catch the skittish critter. Being a feral kitten, the poor little cat was obviously frightened and avoided Quinn’s attempts on numerous occasions.

“I never wanted to give up on her even though it got really, really bad and I just walked around and cried the whole entire time thinking that she was gone,” Quinn explained.

However, her persistence eventually paid off. On Friday, Quinn was finally able to get her helpful hands on the cat, who was severely malnourished at the time. Sadly, the kitten also suffered from an eye injury and nerve damage, which were treated by a local veterinarian.

“The jar was so tight around her neck I couldn’t even get my fingers up there around her but it fit her head completely,” Quinn said. “When I got the jar off it smelled like infection. It smelled like death. I thought she was dying. She’s an amazingly lucky cat.”

What surprised Quinn and Dr. Becky Morrow the most is that the cat somehow managed to get enough water to survive 20 long days with a glass jar locked around its neck. Since water is essential to life, the kitten was obviously able to collect enough water to stay alive, although just barely.

Quinn, being the kind-hearted soul that she is, has decided to keep the little guy for the time being, though outdoor adventures are currently off limits. As soon as the kitten is back in tip-top shape, Quinn hopes to find someone willing to give the fortunate feline a happy new home.

Cat With Jar On Its Head Finally Rescued After 20 Days is a post from: The Inquisitr

A well-known Pennsylvania DJ is accused of breaking into the homes of men he met at clubs and parties and performing oral sex on them while they slept.

Harrisburg authorities said that 27-year-old Dajuan Porter stalked three men he met on the bar scene and sexually assaulted them in their own homes, according to WHP-TV. The first such case was reported in May of 2011 when a man describing an individual fitting Porter’s description climbed into his room through his fire escape, broke in, and began performing oral sex on him as he slept. Another report from April of 2012 had a man visiting Porter’s home for a party, later waking up to Porter performing oral sex on him, according to the Patriot News.

A July report had another man falling asleep at a party after drinking, waking to find Porter performing the sex act on him. Both of the latter-most victims immediately stopped the suspect, according to authorities.

“He actually tried it on me overnight,” stated an additional anonymous victim, who stated that Porter had attempted to perform oral sex on him on at least three separate occasions. “I violently woke up because I felt a hand go down my pants,” stated the victim, though he never really got over the incident. “It made me crazy for days and I really wanted to hunt Dejuan down and beat him to the pavement,” he said.

Porter has been charged with three counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and three counts of sexual assault and burglary. This isn’t Porter’s first rodeo, either. Last year, he was charged in Worcester County, Maryland for sexually assaulting his sleeping prison cell mate.

Despite a potential fear of rejection, Porter could stay out of trouble if he just bothered to ask first.

Here’s Porter’s mugshot and a video report of the incident. Harrisburg Police Detective John O’Connor believes there may be other cases and asks victims to contact him at at 717-255-3175.

‘Oral Sex Bandit’ Sneaks Into Homes, Performs Sex Act On Sleeping Males is a post from: The Inquisitr

If you’re thinking of proposing to your honey anytime soon, you might want to look away because this one will be hard to top. A Pittsburgh man popped the question to his longtime girlfriend with the help of a singing, dancing, 300-person flash mob.

Joey Lanianese pulled out all the stops for his long-awaited proposal to girlfriend Alex DeLoia. A 300 person flash mob joined him in his efforts, performing a choreographed routine (coinciding with National Dance Day, interestingly enough) that ended with Lanianese intimately proposing to the sobbing DeLoia, reports NYDaily.

And yes, he danced with the flash mob himself.

DeLoia was told that the couple were meeting friends for dinner. “And we met them there and then they started a flash mob,” she said. “I didn’t have dinner that night!” The two rendezvoused with said friends when one dancer started the routine in the middle of the street. Soon, several others emerged from the crowd to join him, and it was a 300 person flash mob led by Lanianese quickly after that.

Lanianese met DeLoia as freshmen at Kent State six years ago, reports CBS KDKA. He apparently designed the engagement ring he gave to DeLoia, and spent months meticulously planning the flash mob dance sequence. He would leave for rehearsals and send videos of the dances to out-of-town mobbers so that they could practice on their own. “The go-to excuse was, ‘I’m going to a softball game’ so she bought it for a couple of months anyway,” says Lanianese.

Though DeLoia seemed overwhelmed in the video, she was indeed very happy with the proposal. “It’s been a long time coming and it was so worth the wait,” she said.

Here’s the Pittsburgh flash mob proposal video:

One Pittsburgh Man’s Heartwarming And Hilarious Flash Mob Proposal [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

This has been a disturbing and difficult week for America. People everywhere are reeling from the shootings in Colorado and divided by the Chick-fil-A gay marriage controversy. On Thursday, July 26, 2012, authorities in Pennsylvania announced that they had apprehended five individuals suspected of terrorizing young children at a Jewish summer camp.

Police in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, have arrested Tyler Cole Spencer, 18, Mark Trail, 21, Cassandra Robertson, 18, and two juveniles for the attacks at Camp Bonim, located near Waymart, Pennsylvania. The three adults in the case are being charged with a variety of felonies and misdemeanors, including ethnic intimidation, terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person and institutional vandalism. The unnamed minors face charges in juvenile court.

The group has been accused of attacking Camp Bonim during three separate incidents on July 14 and July 15, 2012. The suspects allegedly drove through the camp at high speed, while shooting at campers and camp staff with paintball guns. Police say the suspects damaged fields, tore up the campus by repeatedly doing 360′s with their pickup truck, uprooted the camp’s mailbox and deliberately tried to run over several people.

The five accused are alleged to have yelled several threatening antisemitic slurs as they went on their rampage including, “I’m gonna kill you, you f***ing Jews,” and, “Go back to where the f*** you came from you god**** Jews. We don’t want you here.”

On July 16, 2012, one day after the third attack at the camp, Spencer is accused of using his vehicle to deliberately injure a counselor from Camp Bonim. The counselor, who was outside a local store, suffered a broken leg and Spencer faces indictment for aggravated assault, in addition to his other charges. Spencer hails from of Linden, Tennessee and he is being held on $200,000 bail. Trail and Robertson both live in Wayne County and they are being held on $20,000 bail each.

The Wayne County, Pennsylvania District Attorney, Janine Edward, who appears to be taking this case very seriously, made the following statement: “These children were terrorized and in fear for their lives by the actions of this group. The vicious, cruel and obscene nature of the language hurled at the campers is unspeakable. Luckily none of the children suffered any serious physical injury; however, the emotional damage done is immeasurable. This is outrageous conduct and will not be tolerated.”

According to the Camp’s director, Dovid Presser, most of the children are no longer afraid for their safety because the suspects have been apprehended. Mr. Presser, commenting on the possible motivation for the attack, had this to say: “Because of what goes on out there in the world, people get scared quick, and that’s what they were trying to accomplish.”

Camp Bonim, which has over 300 campers between the ages of 6 and 20, is one of the more than 30 summer camps in Wayne County. The camps are an important source of much-needed revenue and District Attorney Edward was adamant that the county will protect its visitors. Ms. Edwards “wants it known that Wayne County citizens value our camps. We want our camps to be safe.”

Hopefully, America will regain its balance and the insanity will stop. There is no room in our country for racial and religious hatred. It takes a vile, cringing coward to try to run down a child with a truck while screaming, “I’m gonna kill you, you f***ing Jews.” We can only thank God that no one was seriously injured or killed during this depraved attack on our nation’s children.

Five Arrested For Allegedly Terrorizing Jewish Campers is a post from: The Inquisitr

SCRANTON, PA — How would you like to show up at work, open your paycheck and discover your employer has involuntarily cut your paycheck to just $7.25? That was the scenario that played out this week in Scranton, Pennsylvania after the city ran out of funds and Mayor Chris Doherty had to make a quick decision.

Employees on Friday ranging from fire fighters and police officers to secretaries and public works officers discovered they had involuntarily taken pay decreases to minimum wage levels. Even Mayor Doherty watched as his pay dropped to only a fraction of its original amount.

The city of Scranton has fallen apart since its population began decreasing at the end of World War II. In recent months the city council and the mayor’s office have fought over how to balance a failing budget that now includes a $16.8 million gap.

Doherty for his part wanted to raise taxes while the city council wanted to borrow money which would lead to high interest payments.

When asked why he would cut employee wages without notice Doherty responded:

“I’m trying to do the best I can with the limited amount of funds that I have. I want the employees to get paid. Our people work hard — our police and fire — I just don’t have enough money and I can’t print it in the basement.”

After paying his employees just $7.25 per hour the city had only $5,000 left in the bank and while it received more funds later in the day it was still short of the $1 million it owes to nearly 400 workers who received only minimum-based paychecks.

On Monday morning the firefighters union plans to ask a judge to hold Doherty in contempt.

Speaking to NPR firefighter John Judge said he received only $600 in his paycheck:

“Don’t know how I’m going to pay bills at home. I may be able to stave it off for a little while. [The] kids aren’t going to be able to do certain activities this summer — maybe we’re not going to be able to go on vacation.”

ThinkProgress notes that the federal minimum wage has not been raised since 2006 which further compounds the difficulties faced by Scranton employees.

As Scranton has continued to bleed money the cities unions over the last decade have continued to ask for increased pay, taking their wage lawsuits all the way to the Supreme Court.

Scranton, Pennsylvania Screws Over Workers, Drops Wages To $7.25/Hr Without Notice is a post from: The Inquisitr

A former FBI employee who was involved in investigations of the 9/11 terrorist attacks claims that she saw legions of angels guarding the site of the Flight 93 crash.

Lillie Leonardi was a former police officer before taking a job with the FBI, putting her in a unique position to investigate the 9/11 attacks first-hand shortly after they occurred, reports NY Daily. She claims that she saw angels at the crash site of Flight 93 – the hijacked airliner that was taken back by its passengers and redirected into a Pennsylvania field, claiming only the lives of those on board.

“I’m used to crime scenes but this one blew me out of the water. It just looked like the ground had swallowed up” the plane, Leonardi said. “That’s when I started seeing like shimmery lights … and it was kind of misty and that’s when I first saw, like, the angels there,” she continued. “And I didn’t say anything to the guys because you can imagine if I would have said, ‘I just saw angels on the crash site,’ they’d have called the office and they’d have said, ‘She lost her mind and tell her to go home.’”

The Pittsburgh native wrote a book documenting her experiences, called In the Shadow of a Badge: A Spiritual Memoir, which is meant to give comfort and answers to those still seeking both more than 10 years after the attacks. The book is also meant to encourage individuals coping with post-traumatic stress disorder, which Leonardi struggles with herself, notes the Washington Post.

She kept the experience to herself for years before finally confessed her experience to her former supervisor, Kenneth McCabe. He was Leonardi’s boss until he retired in 2004, according to CBS News.

“I believe her. I read the whole book,” McCabe said of Leonardi’s experience. “I know she believes 100 percent that’s what she saw. I know she’s a sane person so I’m not going to discount what she says she saw.”

Do you believe that angels could have been at the Flight 93 crash site?

Ex-FBI Investigator: I Saw Legions Of Angels At The Flight 93 Crash Site is a post from: The Inquisitr

If Pennsylvania State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) has his way Planned Parenthood will lose state funding in the near future.

Metcalfe will introduce the Whole Woman’s Health Funding Priority Act on Wednesday, a bill that would place abortion providing health care providers at the end of the priority list for state funding. The bill was co-written by anti-abortion activist group Susan B. Anthony List and the Alliance Defense Fund.

While Planned Parenthood does receive private donations a large portion of its funding comes from state and federal funding channels including Medicaid and Titles V, X and XX. The agency has long argued that those funds are used for breast cancer screenings, STD testing and treatment, pap smears, maternity care and other medical services for low-income and uninsured patients. Planned Parenthood then uses private donations to pay for abortions which make up less than 3 percent of the agencies services.

Opponents of Planned Parenthood argue that the bill will push much needed money into “upgrades” for women’s health services at hospitals and other family planning clinics, however there is no arguing that hospitals simply do not offer the low-income services Planned Parenthood users require.

As the HuffingtonPost points out:

“The problem with cutting funding from a major nationwide family-planning provider is that many Planned Parenthood patients live in low-income, rural and medically underserved areas where there generally aren’t other viable providers of the same types of services. For instance, Tennessee lawmakers cut Title X funding from Planned Parenthood in 2011, and that law has left many former patients unable to afford health care.”

It’s likely that the bill will pass as Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives is made up mostly of Republicans. You might recall that during a debate over a mandatory ultrasound bill that would require all women to receive one ultrasound before having an abortion Senate Go. Tom Corbett (R) told women who didn’t want to see the results to just “close their eyes.”

Pennsylvania is not the first state to attempt a defunding bill against Planned Parenthood, legislation was enacted for the same reason in 2011 in six states that include: Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, Texas and Tennessee. All of those states except Wisconsin have since been told by judges that the defunding of the agency is unconstitutional and those bills have all been temporarily blocked. The only state to successfuly strip funds to date is Arizona.

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Attempting To Defund Planned Parenthood is a post from: The Inquisitr

Joe Paterno spent 61-years coaching at Penn State and for his efforts he earned $13.4 million in state pension funds.

Sue Paterno, the widow of the late Joe Paterno said through her spokesman on Tuesday that the family would receive a single payment of $10.1 million from the state of Pennsylvania by the end of May with the remaining $3.3 million to be paid out over the next two years.

Joe Paterno’s retirement pension was fairly easy to figure out by applying his earned income over his time at Penn State and then applying that earned income to the State Employees’ Retirement System which pays out equal amounts to all employees based on their state paid income levels.

After receiving the rather large pension the Paterno family plans to donate $1.5 million to Penn State-related and State College-area charities.

Paterno began his coaching career at Penn State in 1950 and he took over the program in 1966 where he remained head coach until he was fired last year by school officials in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal that involved at least 10 children.

Penn State proceeded to pay Joe Paterno a $1.02 million compensation package last year. Paterno’s last payment did not include any type of endorsement deals. Paterno’s compensation package was actually rather small in comparison to other coaches such as Alabama’s Nick Saban who netted $4.6 million per year and Bob Stoops of Oklahoma and his $4 million.

Joe Paterno claimed throughout his career that he could care less about the money, in fact the Paterno family had given back nearly $9 million to Penn State and other local charities during his time at the university. The Penn State library bears the name of the Paterno family after they donated almost $4 million for its construction.

Joe Paterno’s State Pension Worth $13.4 Million is a post from: The Inquisitr

Police say that 28 year-old Krista Mann is facing a charge of child endangerment after the Lancaster, PA mother left her 6 year-old and 10 month-old in an idling car while she ran across the street to an Elizabethtown tanning salon.

This comes just one week after our last ‘tanning mom’ was charged with child endangerment for letting her 5 year-old daughter soak up some artificial sun at a Nutley, NJ tanning salon.

Reports indicate that an Elizabethtown police officer was checking meters when he spotted a 2008 white Suzuki with the two young children patiently waiting in the parking lot. The car’s windows were rolled down roughly 1-inch and the car was idling.

When the officer approached the 6 year-old girl and asked her where her mother or father was, the little girl pointed across the street to the tanning salon. As the officer inquired further, the young girl quickly became upset, saying that she’s not allowed to talk to strangers.

After the officer located Mann inside the tanning salon, she was ordered to get dressed and leave the salon immediately. Admitting that she left the children in the car, she called the act “stupid”, seemingly remorseful for her decision.

In addition to being charged child endangerment, Mann is also being charged with leaving a child in an unattended motor vehicle and driving on a suspended license.

Despite her poor decisions, the neighbors of the newly minted ‘tanning mom’ are declaring that while there is no excuse for leaving your children unattended in a vehicle, Mann is still a good mother and doesn’t deserve to have her kids taken from her.

“There are a lot of people out there who do these types of things and get their kids taken away,” Alesha Saez said. “She’s a great mom and she deserves to have her kids, so this is the kind of thing she shouldn’t do.”

“It’s a mistake and I know she’s devastated,” neighbor Trish Rowles said.

Elizabethtown Police Chief Jack Mentzer tells The Huffington Post

“The thing that we hope occurs is that we raise public awareness to the fact that we should not be leaving our children unattended in vehicles, particularly with the keys in the ignition,” adding that,

“Kids are curious by nature. All it would have taken is the 6-year-old moving the gear-selector in the car and goodness knows what would have happened.”

Do you agree with Krista Mann’s neighbors? Or does the new ‘tanning mom’ deserve to have her kids taken from her?

Another ‘Tanning Mom’ Faces Child Endangerment Charges is a post from: The Inquisitr

Joe Paterno’s family rejected a recent offer by Penn State officials that would have renamed “Beaver Stadium” as “Joe Paterno Stadium.” Under terms of the deal the Paterno family would have waived all rights to sue the university for firing Joe Paterno following the Jerry Sandusky scandal made national news.

JoePa during his career had made it perfectly clear that renaming the studio wasn’t important to him although his family said this week that it would still be “a tremendous and humbling honor.”

Despite its failure to be granted the lawsuit release the university this week handed over more than $5.5 million to the Paterno family. That money included more than $3 million in bonuses that spanned Paterno’s last season, bowl game and his entire career. While we initially reported that the Paterno family received $5.7 million, a new report places the amount of money received closer to $6.7 million, including revenue from TV and Radio syndication for Penn State games.

Joe Paterno died at the age of 85 after suffering with lung cancer. Paterno’s death came nearly two-and-a-half months after Jerry Sandusky was accused of sex abuse against at least 10 underage boys. Joe Paterno served as the head coach at Penn State for 46 seasons and after his firing many of the universities students and staff got behind the coach to voice their disapproval with the universities decision.

In speaking about the families payout lawyer Wick Sollers said a settlement had not been released and that the money paid was “a straightforward payment of moneys indisputably owed to the Paterno estate. The university had requested the family agree to a full release in return for the payments under the contract. That request was declined and no release was signed.”

The Paterno family has not said in public that they would sue Penn State over the handling of JoePa’s final days as the universities head coach.

Joe Paterno’s Family Rejected Stadium Naming Deal is a post from: The Inquisitr

President Obama should be a happy man right now. Quinnipiac University released a series of polls taken in the all important swing states and the news for Obama is looking good.

In Florida, considered a must win, Obama tops Mitt Romney 49 percent to 42 percent; while beating Rick Santorum 50 percent to 37 percent.

In Ohio, no presidential candidate has won without securing this swing state, Obama beats Romney 47 to 41 percent and Santorum 47 to 40 percent.

In Pennsylvania, Santorum’s home state, Obama edges Romney 45 to 42 percent, while topping Santorum 48 to 41 percent. Interestingly enough when Santorum lost his Senate seat he was beaten by one of the largest margins in state history.

Being that the general election is pretty far away these polls are pretty useless but it gives Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum an idea of what they may face and the hurdles they face in the general election. Romney should be a lot more concerned about the recent Washington Post/ABC poll also released on Wednesday morning. Which found that when asked about their opinion of Mitt Romney, voters just plain don’t like him.

“In the new poll, 50 percent of all adults and 52 percent of registered voters express unfavorable opinions of Romney, both higher — although marginally — than Obama has received in Post-ABC polling as far back as late 2006. However, the biggest difference between Romney and Obama is on the other side of the ledger: 53 percent of Americans hold favorable views of the president; for Romney, that number slides to 34 percent.”

What do you think? Is Mitt Romney a visionary for America or just a tool?

Obama Leading Romney In Three Key Swing States is a post from: The Inquisitr

Former Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, the moderate Republican who jumped ship in 2009 because he thought he could win as a Democrat, then lost in the primary as a Democrat and retired, made a crack at Mitt Romney on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that stunned the other panelists.

Co-host Mika Brzezinski waxed philosophical with him on what he thought was going to happen with the Republican party in the future.

Specter responded by going after Mitt Romney saying,

“Well, the Republican party has moved so far to the right, you can’t recognize Mitt Romney. What Mitt Romney will appear in October?”

then he took a page out of the Bill Maher joke book saying,

“Mitt Romney has changed positions more often than a pornographic movie queen.”

The panelists on the show were obviously taken aback and managed to squeak out a few awkward chuckles. Then co-host Joe Scarborough defended the joke as something a comedian would say, and showed footage of Specter doing a stand up routine (the Senator dabbles a little bit in Stand Up).

Throughout the entire segment Specter went on the offensive against the political system and the further polarizing of the parties. He also ranted for a little bit about his disdain for the primaries. Specter was defeated in a 2010 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate by Joe Sestak, who lost to Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) in the general election.

Specter is touring the country to promote his new memoir “Life Among The Cannibals,” detailing his career in the Senate.

Arlen Specter: Romney has Changed Positions More Often Than a Pornographic Movie Queen is a post from: The Inquisitr

A recent poll of Pennsylvania’s registered voters shows that 46 percent of the state’s citizens support renaming Penn State’s Beaver Stadium to “Joe Paterno Stadium.”

Joe Paterno died in January after he was fired as the football teams head coach following the Jerry Sandusky sex scandal.

According to the Quinnipiac University survey 46 percent of the participants polled believe the stadium should be renamed while 40 percent were opposed to the idea.

Survey takers who strongly backed the idea described themselves as “very or somewhat interested” in college football.” Survey takers 65 and older also favored the name change.

As it stands at the moment Beaver Stadium is named after former Pennsylvania Governor James Beaver who served on the school’s board of trustees in the late 19th century.

The survey was given to 1,300 registered voters during six days in early February. According to the poll there is a plus or minus 2.8 percent margin of error.

Joe Paterno served as the head coach of the Nittany Lions for more than four decades and the Paterno family name is already attached to the schools library and spiritual life center.

University officials have already said they plan to memorialized Joe Paterno following his death from lung cancer.

While Paterno was fired from his position in November he was never formally charged with any crimes and he has never been considered a target for prosecutors.

In the meantime the Jerry Sandusky trial now looms with the 68-year-old heading to court in May to face charges that he molested 10 boys over a 15-year span.

Do you think Beaver Stadium should be renamed in honor of Joe Paterno?

Penn State Football Stadium Should Be Named After Joe Paterno [Poll Results] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jerry Sandusky molested young boys as young as 8-years-old according to court documents filed on Thursday in Center County Court.

According to documents Sandusky molested at least 10 boys ranging in age from 8 to 17. Information about the boys were discovered in the “bill of particulars” which was released by the Attorney General’s Office.

Prosecutors reveal in filing that five of the boys were sexually abused in the Lasch Building, the schools football headquarters.

Boys were also attacked in another campus building, inside dorm rooms and in a campus pool.

Six boys in the prosecutions filings also claim to have been abused at Sandusky’s home near State College while other abuses occurred in his car, in various hotel rooms and at other locations around Centre County and Clinton County.

Two of the boys have remained unidentified, including the child who assistant coach Mike McQueary revealed was molested by Sandusky in the Lasch football ocker room shower in March 2002.

In the meantime Jerry Sandusky, 68, is under house arrest as his defense prepares for his May 14 trial in Centre County Court.

While two top officials have already been fired because of the Sandusky controversy the University isn’t out of the woods. Investigators with the U.S. Attorney’s Office issued a subpoena for documents on Feb. 2. Officers have requested the school’s computer hard drives, proof of money trails and records of complaints and correspondence from Sandusky’s The Second Mile charity.

Jerry Sandusky Molested Boys As Young As 8 Years Old [Court Documents] is a post from: The Inquisitr

One of the larger dynamics in this country is the one that occurs when a group of people don’t like something for one reason, and say it is for another reason- and controversies like those surrounding Plan B and HPV vaccines are a great illustration of this.

Earlier this week, it became big news when it was revealed that a Pennsylvania university had installed a vending machine to dispense the high-dose birth control pill Plan B. I will say for the record now that I believe that in the history of marketing, the selection of the name “Plan B” is pretty woeful- it seems to cast an pall of irresponsibility over the name of the ill-understood product. (While many believe Plan B is an abortion-inducing medication, it is in fact just a high-dose version of the Pill, and does nothing more than the Pill itself can do.)

And though the birth control pill itself is not available over the counter, Plan B often is, depending on your area and the religious views of your pharmacist. Often cloaked in the guise of concern for the health of women, people get upset that the ubiquity of Plan B allows women to have “consequence free sex” by covering failures in birth control. Naturally, when Plan B appeared in a vending machine for $25 at the college in Pennsylvania, it was pretty controversial.

Following the media blitz, it was revealed that the Food Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating the situation, and in a statement, they said they are “working to gather the facts now, including contacting Pennsylvania state authorities and the university.” Do you think Plan B in a vending machine is irresponsible?

Plan B in Vending Machine Prompts FDA Investigation is a post from: The Inquisitr

The emergency contraceptive Levonorgestrel, also known as “Plan B”, has long been at the center of controversy within pro-choice/pro-life discussions. But now, at one Pennsylvania college, students can detour from their walk of shame to pick up a dose of the so-called “morning-after pill” from a vending machine on campus.

Shippensburg University installed the vending machine which sells doses of Plan B for an affordable $25 a pop. Before anyone gets bent out of shape over this seemingly controversial move, a few things need to be made clear. For one, no, you cannot purchase a morning-after pill in the student center or any of the dorms, and then move down the vending machine choir line to grab a bag of Chex Mix and a Mountain Dew: the vending machine is located in the health center. Second, the installation was born out of student demand, not institutional politics. Students desired the easy option for convenience and personal comfort:

“We had some conversations with them and they did a survey of the student body, and we got an 85 percent response rate that the students supported Plan B in the House Center,” said Dr. Roger Serr, VP of Student Affairs at Shippensburg University.

Also, the university does not make any profit from the selling of the drug:

“We were uncomfortable providing it for free because that would mean we were supporting Plan B with either state money or fee money,” Serr said.

Insofar as legality is concerned, the drug can be sold over-the-counter to anyone over the age of 17. The drug contains hormones that prevent ovulation and fertilization from happening. Think of it as birth control on crack.

What do you think of the college’s installation of the Plan B vending machine? Disgusting? Smart? Progressive? Safe? Let us know in the comments section below.

College Installs Emergency Contraceptive “Plan B” Vending Machine is a post from: The Inquisitr